Week 2

What a great start to this study - thanks!  I loved all your thoughts on John 1 and hope you each were blessed by your own study and by the comments of others. 

I love how this first chapter of John describes Jesus as light.  What a powerful picture.  Light gives life.  Light reveals.  The amazing thing is that not only is Jesus light, but He gives light.  He can illuminate a life.  His presence in us reveals truth, gives life and guides us.  It is all Him shining through us which sure takes a lot of pressure off of us.  All we have to do is be the vessel – be willing to allow Him to enter our life and shine through us.  I love the example of the moon – the moon has no light of its own but shines because it reflects the light of the sun.  (There is a GREAT Sara Groves song about that!)  Our light can shine dull or bright depending on how much it is reflecting THE son.  When I was camping this weekend there was a lighted palm tree at the camp site next to ours and that thing was bright!  When it was time for bed, I was having a hard time blocking out its light no matter how much I tried.  I hope I can be like that palm tree – shining so bright that the world can’t block me out even if it tries.  Verse 12 reminds us that all we have to do is to receive and believe.  The question is what does it mean to truly believe?  I think believing has nothing to do with an action – going to church, serving others etc – but is a transformation of the heart and it is that transformation of the heart that leads to action. 

This week we will do John chapter 2. Remember that John has one main point through his gospel and that is to present Jesus as God. John doesn’t tell everything that happened in Jesus’ life or ministry – he has picked out specific events that demonstrate Jesus as God. This chapter starts with Jesus’ first miracle. In the book of John we see 8 miracles of Jesus. Each one is different. The progression of the miracles is interesting – they each show Jesus’ power and they do so in a progressive way. They show Jesus’ power over 8 different aspects of nature – from basic to complex. Read this miracle and think about the following:

-What power is Jesus exhibiting? What is the purpose of this or any miracle?

-What does this miracle teach us about the character of Jesus and the way He relates to man?

-Look at verse 11…reflect on “He thus revealed his glory and his disciples put their faith in him.” What does it mean to reveal his “glory?” What does it mean to put your faith in Jesus? Has Jesus revealed his glory to you? What is your response?

Next we see Jesus act maybe in a surprising way in the temple?

What is Jesus so intolerant of? What kind of example is that for us? Look at 1 Corinthians 10:31.